To continue on my Blanton’s series, I managed to get a sample from TWE of the Blanton’s Gold. These appear to be costing $120 at retail but the secondary has jumped that price up to $300+. The nose starts with a thick caramel with medium oak spice followed by candied nuts along with fruits of fresh baked cinnamon apple pie, cooked down cherry sauce and freshly peeled blood orange then vanilla meringue cookies that transition to a medium spice along with ginger, cloves, nutmeg, leather and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with caramel with medium oak spice followed by fruits of fresh baked cinnamon apple pie, cooked down cherry sauce and freshly peeled blood orange then vanilla meringue cookies that transition to a medium spice along with ginger, cloves, nutmeg, leather and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with thick caramel-covered candy apples, chocolate syrup, mandarin oranges, toasted marshmallow, ginger, cloves, leather and polished oak. Wow, what a difference that additional 5% has made on this whiskey that has intensified those normal Blanton’s notes while bringing some candied nuts and cherry to join the fun. I’m not sure if it was the additional proof or that these are just better barrel selects for the gold line but those drying oak spices that I got on the Original and Black have been replaced with high end leather, polished oak and a long thick Kentucky hug of a caramel finish that lasts for minutes. This is absolutely worth the msrp price, but definitely not the secondary price that these are selling at. If you’re willing to spend $300, I’d recommend Kentucky Owl batch 10, Garrison Brothers Cowboy or Barrell 15 year which are all better bourbons in that price range.